Activists to Ask Council for More Homeless Shelters

Activists for the homeless will meet with the Santa Monica City Council tonight to discuss their arrest and eviction at the Flamingo Hotel last month and the shortage of shelter beds in the city.

David Busch, Michael Reinsborough and Jennaffer Waggoner were arrested Nov. 19 at the Ocean Avenue hotel for trespassing on private property and resisting arrest.

About 35 people had occupied the hotel, which has been closed since 1992, to protest the lack of cold-weather shelters. Their arraignment is scheduled for Friday.

Santa Monica relies on county-operated winter shelters that are open continuously from Dec. 16 through Feb. 28 and as needed in November and March, depending on the weather.

In their meeting with the council, the three activists will ask that more shelter beds be made available year-round during bad weather and that the charges against them be dropped, said Waggoner, who sits on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and is homeless.

“All they have to do is stick a tent up in a parking lot so people can get out of the rain,” Waggoner said.